"I am a father," said Eli Haba with tears in his eyes, as he and his wife Roxanna left the hospital with their son, Aharon, five months after his birth.
Aharon, who was born at 22 weeks development, is the first Israeli infant to be born at so early an age, and survived. Today, the hospital gave him a clean bill of health, and released him to go home.
"This is the first time that we know of the survival of a baby born in such a week, and with such medical success. There is no question that this is another example of the ability of the modern world of medicine to treat premature babies, and successfully survive," Professor Dror Mendel, director of the neonatal ward of the Dana-Dwek Children's Hospital in Ichilov Medical Center. "This success comes as a result of the warm and loving care of the medical and nursing team.
"This is an exceptional success, which changes what we know - or think we know - about infant survival at earlier [ages]," Mendel added.
What about the happy parents? "Every parent should know that there is a chance, and should maintain that hope, because there are miracles, and there are successes. Never give up. Look at us!"